20 farmers in NFU 2017-18 Beginning Farmers Institute

Participants come from 12 states.

Jun 09, 2017

Twenty beginning farmers and ranchers from across the United States will take part in the 2017-2018 National Farmers Union Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI) program. The Institute provides mentorship, technical training and leadership development to its participants.

“We are happy to welcome our largest class of participants ever for this year’s Beginning Farmers Institute program. Ensuring American agriculture lies in the hands of a well supported and equipped next generation of farmers and ranchers is a top priority for Farmers Union. NFU is proud to offer an educational program that continues to represent the geographical and production diversity in agriculture,” said NFU Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Communications Rob Larew.

Through sessions hosted in Washington, D.C., California, and Missouri, the program’s hands-on training will emphasize many of the challenges beginning farmers may face in their careers, such as business planning, access to capital, land acquisition, marketing, and more.

Agriculture diversity continues to be a focus of the BFI program. Participants in this year’s class come from a variety of operation types, from urban farms to large cattle operations. Additionally, women and veterans have been some of the most active participants in the program’s history, representing nearly 60% of the 73 beginning farmers who have completed the program and 13 of the 20 participants announced for this year.

The farmers selected to participate in the 2017-18 Beginning Farmers Institute program are:

Jess Bernstein, Wisconsin

Aaron Brinkman, California

Mary Jo Borchardt, Wisconsin

Serena Cochrane, Missouri

Randy Dugger, Indiana

Sherri Dugger, Indiana

Jacob James Marty, Wisconsin

Michelle McKenzie, Virginia

Nicholas Miller, Maryland

Michael Eugene Morrow, Indiana

Patrick O’Neill, Colorado

Rebecca O’Day, Hawaii

Alicia Razvi, Wisconsin

Sarah River, Wisconsin

John Alexander Kipp Roos, Colorado

Cady Schwab, New York

Peter Schwagerl, Minnesota

Martha Skelley, Colorado

Caitlain Thompson, Texas

Shannon Van Duren, Colorado

NFU Foundation has continued to grow the BFI program through the generous support of CHS Foundation, Farm Aid, Farm Credit and Farmers Union Industries Foundation.